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The wife of a man killed in a Nov. 20 explosion on a Fieldwood Energy platform has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in U.S. District Court that claims the victim and his crew were told the piece of equipment that exploded was safe to work on. 24-year-old Jerrel Hancock of Abbeville was a supervisor on a cleaning crew for Turnkey Cleaning Services when a heater treater they were working on blew up, killing Hancock and injuring three others. Turnkey Cleaning Services is a contractor that was working for Fieldwood about 12 miles offshore. Fieldwood Energy risk manager Mark Mozell told The Advocate Wednesday the company had not yet seen the lawsuit, and that it does not comment in detail on matters that are in litigation.
The Heywood Building has stood on the corner of Main and Market streets in downtown Jennings since 1903. But the building has seen better days. The American Press reports a grassroots effort is underway to help save the historic landmark from demolition and restore it. Former Jennings mayor and Jeff Davis Arts Council President Greg Marcantel says the current owners of the building have agreed to donate it to the Jeff Davis Arts Council which plans to establish offices in the structure after renovations.
A MEXICAN OIL OFFICIAL SAYS HE IS CONTINUING EFFORTS TO LURE OIL COMPANIES FROM ACADIANA TO WORK IN HIS COUNTRY. MAURICIO GARCIA PALACIOS VISITED LAFAYETTE IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER TO EXPLAIN TO LOCAL OIL COMPANIES THAT MEXICO IS OPENING ITS DOORS TO PRIVATE INVESTMENT. HE TELLS TH DAILY ADVERTISER THAT ONLY THREE ACADIANA OIL COMPANIES HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS OFFICE ABOUT DOING BUSINESS IN MEXICO. MEXICO HAS BEEN OPEN TO PRIVATE INVESTMENT BECAUSE THEIR OIL PRODUCTION IS OFF BY FIFTY PERCENT FROM WHAT IT USED TO BE.
Abortion clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans have dropped their challenge to Louisiana’s newest abortion law. An earlier lawsuit filed by clinics in Metairie, Shreveport and Bossier City remains intact. The law requires doctors who perform abortions to be able to admit patients to a hospital within 30 miles. Attorney Ellie Schilling said earlier that cost was the only reason that Delta Clinic of Baton Rouge, Women’s Health Care Center in New Orleans and a doctor at each decided to drop their suit.
A PRE TRIAL HEARING, IN THE CASE OF A KAPLAN MAN CHARGED IN THE HIT-AND-RUN DEATH OF A YOUNGSVILLE CYCLIST, HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO FEBRUARY 26TH. THE DEFENSE FOR 42-YEAR-OLD FITZPATRICK DOUCETTE REQUESTED THE DELAY SO THEY COULD HAVE MORE TIME TO COLLECT EVIDENCE. DOUCETTE ALLEGEDLY HIT CYCLIST LON LOMAS ALONG HIGHWAY 92 IN YOUNGSVILLE ON JULY SEVENTH. LOMAS ENDED UP IN A DITCH AND AN AUTOPSY CONCLUDED THAT HE DIED FROM DROWNING.
TWO PEOPLE WAITING TO ATTEND MASS AT THE CATHEDRAL IN DOWNTOWN LAKE CHARLES WERE ROBBED AT GUNPOINT YESTERDAY. TONY SOILEAU TELLS THE AMERICAN PRESS THAT HE AND A WOMAN WERE IN THE BREEZEWAY AT THE CHURCH WHEN A BLACK MAN CAME UP TO THEM AND DEMANDED MONEY. SOILEAU SAYS HE GAVE THE MAN 35 DOLLARS WHILE THE WOMAN REFUSED TO GIVE HIM ALL OF HER MONEY AND TOLD HIM TO “SHOOT, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, SHOOT”. AFTER THE ROBBERY, THE MAN TOOK OFF ON FOOT, HEADED EAST ON KIRBY STREET.
AN H-I-V INFECTED MAN FROM LAFAYETTE, WHO WAS CHARGED WITH RAPING A FIVE-YEAR-OLD BOY IN 2013, WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL AFTER NEW EVIDENCE IMPLICATED ANOTHER SUSPECT. LAFAYETTE PARISH ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY PAT MAGEE AND THE DEFENSE FOR 30-YEAR-OLD CONWELL CORMIER SAYS THE NEW SUSPECT IS CORMIER’S FORMER ROOMATE, THOUGH THEY DID NOT REVEAL HIS IDENTITY. CORMIER HAS BEEN IN JAIL SINCE APRIL OF 2013, WHEN HE WAS ORIGINALLY ARRESTED. JUDGE MARILYN CASTLE REDUCED CORMIER’S BOND FROM 500 THOUSAND TO 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND STIPULATED THAT HE CANNOT BE AROUND CHILDREN WITHOUT AN ADULT PRESENT.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration has started sifting through agency budget proposals as it works on a plan to close next year’s $1.4 billion shortfall. But Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says the hole isn’t quite as large as it appears. About $200 million is tied to inflationary increases that don’t necessarily get funded each year. She says another $300 million can be filled by using recommendations from a consultant that devised proposals to save the state money.
